Pharmacy Awareness Week

Posted March 04, 1999


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - March 3, 1999
99-03-02-PH

College of Pharmacy and Nutrition Promotes
Pharmacy Awareness Week
March 1 - 7, 1999


The College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, U of S, is promoting
Pharmacy Awareness Week, March 1-7, with a visit from Associate
Health Minister Judy Junor on Friday, March 5.

The focus of the associate minister?s visit is the Saskatchewan
Consumer Drug Information Service. The Service operates from the
College and was developed for the general public to encourage
responsible use of medications and supplement the information and
advice provided by their pharmacists and physicians.

?The purpose of the service is to ensure rational drug utilization
throughout the province,? says Paul Melnyk, manager of the
Consumer Drug Information Service. ?This telephone service
provides increased access to licensed pharmacists, enabling
consumers to ask questions about drug therapy with convenience
and anonymity.?

The Service is funded through a grant from Saskatchewan Health.
The service is in its eighth year of operation and receives in excess of
120 calls a month.

Consumers can reach the service at (306) 975-DRUG [3784] in
Saskatoon and 1-800-655-DRUG [3784] for the rest of
Saskatchewan. Office hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to
Friday, excluding statutory holidays. After-hours messages may be
left on an answering machine.


For more information, please contact:

Paul Melnyk
Manager, Consumer Drug Information Service
College of Pharmacy and Nutrition
(306) 966-6349

Yvonne Shevchuk
Director, Consumer Drug Information Service
College of Pharmacy and Nutrition
(306) 966-6330